Car-coupling



(No Model.)

A. H. JOHNSON.

OAR COUPLING.

No. 405,889. Patented June 25, 1889.

n. PETERS, Phmbmm m ner. Wuhinglon, u.'c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANDREWV HENRY JOHNSON, OF TRYUS, MISSISSIPPI.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,889, dated June 25, 1889.

Application filed April 11, 1889. Serial No. 306,902. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW HENRY J OHN- SON, of Tryus, in the county of Lawrence and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact d escription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in automatic car-couplings; and it consists in the combination of two levers which are pivoted upon the end of the car, and are loosely connected together at their inner ends by a slotted lifter, a partially-turning spring-actuated support upon which the catch catches, and a guide which is attached to one of the levers for guiding the link into position, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a coupling which will automatically couple the cars together without the necessity of the brakeman venturing between them.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a coupling which embodies my invention, the parts being shown in one position in solid lines and in another position in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig.3 is a plan View. Y

A represents the end of the car, to which the draw-head Bis secured in any suitable manner. 'Pivoted upon the end of the car are the two operating-levers C, which have their outer ends to project beyond the side of the car, so as to be operated without the necessity of the brakemen having to venture between the cars, either for the purpose of coupling 01' uncoupling them. Upon the end of the car are placed suitable keepers D, which are placed upon different sides of the pivots upon which the levers 0 turn, for the purpose of limiting their movement. These levers are loosely connected together at their inner ends by means of the lifter F, which lifter is provided with the slotted horizontal portion G, through which the coupling-pin H passes when the inner ends of the lever O are raised upward to their highest position ready to couple the cars together. Upon this lifter F is formed a stationary catch H ,which projects a suitable distance beyond the front vertical portion of the lifter, and which catch supports the lifter and the levers in a raised position by catching over the upper end of the vertical turning support I. This support I is bent into the shape shown, and has its lower end to project beyond the front end of the draw-head B, so that when the cars run together the opposing draw-head will strike this curved projecting end of the support, and in forcing it outward causes the support to partially turn in its bearingsJ, and thus withdraw its upper end from under the catch H. A flat spring L returns this support to position as soon as it is left free to move.

Pivoted to the end of the car upon opposite sides of the draw-head A is the curved supporting-rod O, which has secured to its center the guiding-plate P. This plate is so shaped that when raised into position its inner end is just opposite the lower edge of the draw-head, so as to guide the link of the approaching car directly into position for coupling. This supporting-bar Ois connected by means of a cord, wire, or chain Q to one of the levers 0, so that when the levers are raised at their inner ends the rod and its plate will be raised into position. WVhen the levers drop after the cars are coupled, the rod 0 and the plate P swing into the vertical position shown, where they are entirely out of the way.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of the levers pivoted upon the end of the car having their ends loosely connected together, the lifter provided with a catch, and the partially-revolving spring-actuated support which has its upper end to engage with the catch on the lifter and its lower bent end to project beyond the front of the draw-head, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the pivoted levers upon the end of the car, the slotted lifter In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ANDREW HENRY JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

T. M. BEAL, J12, N. B. BUCKLEY. 

